in the Will already All that it can justly pretend to is to Excite what it sinds not what it gives It does not it cannot subdue the Wills Corruptions natural and contracted which is its Moral Impotency And that which leaves it Impotent as it found it gives it not Power it plants no Principle of Spiritual Life and Strength in the Will but disclaims these expresly And as it does not give the Power so neither does it give the Act it determins not the Will nor causes it to Act but leaves it to incline as it list when there is no Principle in it to incline it towards that which is Saving and Corruption enough to incline it the other way The Case standing thus if the Will comply with the Terms of Salvation it must be by its own Power since it has no more from above And then in Opposition to the Text Salvation will be of our selves by our own Strength not by Grace nor will Grace which is Saving be the Gift of God For if he give neither the Power nor the Act who can imagine how it can be counted his Gift They may as well say we are Saved by the Power of Nature as that the Conditions of Salvation are to be Performed by such a Power without any other Assistance of Grace 3. No Legal Conditions no Conditions performed by us nor our Righteousness The Righteousness by which we are justified the Righteousness by which we have Pardon or by which we have Right and Title to Salvation Neither Faith nor sincere Obedience are required of us for this end nor can they when Performed by us be any such Righteousness It is Christ and he alone that is our Righteousness it is by his Righteousness and that alone that we are Justified It was he who by his Obedience to Death satisfied Divine Justice and procured Title to Eternal Life It is not pretended that any Performances of ours do or can satisfie Divine Justice nor can it with more reason be pretended that our Performances give us Title to Life Those that say he did not both may as well say he did neither Our Performances may evidence our Title but they give it not nor are the Ground of it It is Christ his Righteousness that is the only Foundation of our Title Rom. 10. 4. The End of the Law i. e. of the Covenant of Works was that Man by the Righteousness of Perfect Obedience might have Title to Eternal Life this being rendered Impossible in Mans fallen and sinful State how shall the End of the Law which the Lord aimed at be attained Why Christ attains the End of the Law by his Righteousness giving Title to Life to those who believe Faith and Obedience are not our Righteousness now as Perfect Obedience was to be in the State of Innocency they are not in the stead of it they have not the Vertue and Office of it they are not Conditions of the Covenant of Grace as that was of the Covenant of Works i. e. They are not the Righteousness by which we are Justified and have Title to Life It is Christ that is the End of the Law for Righteousness to those Purposes and to ascribe that to our Performances which is proper to him is injurious to the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ And how is it of Grace upon these Terms how is the Covenant of the Gospel more Gracious than that of Works It cannot be said that it is more Gracious because it requires and accepts less sincere Obedience being not so much as that which is Perfect For sincere Obedience may be counted as much to Man in his present State of Sin and Impotency as Perfect Obedience in the State of Innocency and Perfection But the transcendent Graciousness of the Gospel Covenant consists not in requiring less Righteousness to give Title to Life than was due at first but in not requiring a Perfect Righteousness of us Personally for that end but providing and accepting that of a surety according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 3 4. The Law could not give us Life because being weakened by sin we could not Perform the Perfect Righteousness which is required but what the Law could not do Christ has done giving us Title to Life fulfilling the Righteousness of it in our behalf But does not the Scripture declare that our Obedience is the Obedience which gives Title to Life Rev. 22. 14. I Answer There is a double Right Jus ad rem and Jus in re a Right of Title and a Right of Possession Holy Obedience gives us not the Title but leads us into Possession It gives not the Title for that we have in Justification Rom. 5. 18. Now Obedience is after Justification and so cannot give that which is before it self and does not give that which is given already But it leads us into Possession it is the Way by which we enter so the Word immediately sollowing will have it understood When the Apostle had declared that we are Saved by Grace Eph. 2. 8. and so excluded Works Vers 9. that we may count this to be our Title to Salvation yet he adds Ver. 10. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them These are the Ways wherein we must walk if we will arrive at Salvation but they are not our Title to it as Perfect Obedience would have been in the first Covenant the Law of Works they are not such Conditions they are not our Righteousness upon which our Title is Founded as that was designed to be They are not Legal Conditions 4. Obliging Conditions There is no performance of ours that can of it self oblige the Lord to perform any Promise the reason because it is defective and falls short of what is required And amongst men he that promises upon Conditions is not obliged if the Terms be not duely observed The Law of our Creation required of us perfect Performance and no less than perfect Obedience to God will be due from us while we are Creatures It is true Man now wants Power to answer his Ingagements but that was through his own fault and the Lord does not lose his due because Man sins against him Now being defective and falling short of his Duty it is sinfull and that which is sinfull is to be punished not rewarded as such it has not a Moral fitness for promised Reward that which is sinfull brings the performer under the Curse Gal. 3. it deserves eternal Death Rom. 6. and so cannot oblige the Lord to reward it Upon this account the best performance of any supposed Condition is so far of it self from making any promised Blessing to be due in point of Justice that it cannot make it due in point of Faithfulness That which needs Pardon cannot of it self make any thing due to us but Punishment Our Faith our Repentance our Obedience being sinfully defective cannot as such make any thing
Will than to be willing And it is needless and senseless to Pray to God to make them willing i. e. to make Grace effectual when they can do it well enough of themselves August de Nat. â—â— Grat. c. 18. Quid est stultius quam or are ut facias quod in potestate habes What more foolish than to Pray God thou mayest do that which thou hast in thine own Power And elsewhere Ne fallamus homines c. Let us not deceive Men for we cannot deceive God We Pray not â—o God at all but only feign that we Pray â—f we think that our selves not He doth what we Pray for And as they need not so they must not Pray that God would make Grace effectual or make it work effectually in them for God cannot do it and they must no seek that of him which he cannot doâ— To make Grace effectual is of unwilling to make them willing to determine thâ— Will to what he Proposes but this theâ— say he cannot do without invading it freedom All that he can do is to Propose and leave the Will to do as it likes if he should bow it effectually one way oâ— other that would be a breach upon thâ— liberty which is essential to it so that â— beg this of him would be to seek an iâ—possibility So that unless they will â— absurd they must not Pray that God woulâ— effectually bow or incline their Wills â— believe in Christ to turn to God to lovâ— him to fear him to walk in his way to hate Sin or mortifie it yea or â— avoid it They must not Pray that Goâ— would effectually subdue their Wills â— his Will in any thing For to be so suâ—jected though to God and by a Diviâ— Motion is not consistent with that Freâ—dom which the Nature of the Will râ—quires If their Petitions be of such Import aâ— the best Petitions of Christians are the Prayers contradict their Principles their Prayers are a Plea for the Truth which â—hey dispute against Whatever they argue with Men yet they must be for us when they have to do with God if they will have any thing to do with God â—n Prayer or Pray any thing like Chriâ—tians As for preventing or sufficient Grace â—hey need not Pray for that for they â—ave it already or they will have it thô â—hey Pray not for it for all have it even â—hose who never Pray while they live But if they should Pray for it their â—etitions must bear such a sence as will â—e very harsh to any Christian or ratioâ—al Ear. Sufficient Grace is that which â—nables a Man to turn to God if he will. So this must be it they Pray for Lord give me such Grace that I may Love â—hee if I will that I may Fear thee if I â—ist that I may Obey thee if I please This Grace leaves and must leave the Will indifferent to choose or refuse to act or â—ot to act at its Pleasure For so far the â—ord may by his Grace proceed with the Will but no farther without intrenching â—n its Liberty So that it is this which they â—ray for Lord give me such Grace as will leave me Indifferent either to Lovâ— or Hate thee either to Turn or not tâ— Turn unto thee to Obey or Rebell againâ— thee either to Believe in Christ or to bâ— an Unbeliever This must be the Impoâ— of their Prayers for Grace if they bâ— consistent with their Principles But â— they will Pray with the sense of Christians or sober Men they must renouncâ— their Doctrine of Free-will Further They must not Pray for other more than themselves Not for Enâ—mies that God would effectually Turâ— their Hearts that they may not Oppresâ— Persecute Obstruct the Gospel Oppoâ— Christs Interest They must not Pray fâ— Children Friends Strangers that Goâ— would effectually Turn them to himselâ— that he would Create in them new Heartâ— or Inspire their Wills with gracious Priâ—ciples that he would conquer their râ—bellious Wills or not leave them in a câ—pacity to resist him or reject the Spirâ— of Grace They must not Pray for themselves or others that God will give theâ— any Grace but what will leave it at thâ— choice and arbitrement of their owâ— Wills when there is no good Qualitâ— in them as well to resist as not to râ— â—st Grace before Conversion as well to â—xpel as to retain it after Conversion Prayer is such an acknowledgment of God so essential to all Religion that withâ—ut it there can be no Religion either Christian or Natural therefore so far as his Doctrine makes it unnecessary or unâ—easonable to Pray so far it tends to exâ—irpate all Religion 12. It is inconsistent with that Thankâ—ulness and Gratitude which should make â—p the Life of a Christian with those Praises whereby God is glorified in a â—pecial manner and which must be the â—mployment of Eternity It is the most â—ngrateful Doctrine that ever any under â—he Name of Christians entertained For â—ereby he that is in the state of Grace â—as no more Cause on that account to â—e thankful to God than he that is in â—he state of Sin and Damnation For he â—s not obliged to be thankful for more â—han he has received and the best Saint â—s such has received no more from God â—wes no more to his Grace than he that â—ontinues the worst of Sinners That â—e is in a happier Condition is from â—imself and the good use of his Free-will Grace was common afforded him and others indifferently it was his owâ— Free-will that made the difference so fâ— as there is any Nay a Saint in Glorâ— will by their Doctrine have no moâ— reason to be Praising God or Admirinâ— Christ than one in Hell But of thâ— hereafter The recovery of Man out of the staâ— of Sin and Misery into which he is falâ—en either by Adam's Transgression or hâ— own Wickedness is more to be ascribed tâ— himself than unto God and so he owâ— more thanks to himself for it than to Goâ— He does more to Convert to Quicken â— Sanctifie to Establish to Save himself thâ— God does by his Grace and so he has moâ— reason to thank himself for all The Loâ— does very little in comparison of whâ— Man does in these great Concerns aâ— that little which God does would coâ— to nothing at all if Man himself did nâ— give it efficacy and make something â— it So that there is left very little grouâ— or occasion of giving Praise and Glory â— God where if for any thing the higâ—est Praise and Glory is eternally due â— him and where above all he designeâ— the greatest Praise and Glory to himselâ— There seems much more occasion to ascribâ— the Praise and Glory of Mans Salvation both on Earth and in Heaven unto Man himself Not unto thee O Lord must they say not unto thee but unto our selves be the Praise or at least more unto our selves than unto thee View this Doctrine well and compare
Previous to and Preparations for them viz. Diligent Attendance on the Word and Means of Grace Convictions of Sin legal Sorrow for it Sense of Wrath and Misery which often go before Conversion and are counted Dispositions or Preparations for Faith. But these previous Works are not Conditions of Conversion or the other Blessings included therein nor are they promised upon such Terms For the Condition is never separated from the Favour promised to it where the Condition is performed the Promise is always accomplished But these preparatory Acts have been in many who were never truly Converted and Regenerated never had a New Heart and a New Spirit given them So that these Preparations are no Conditions of Faith or Regeneration much less is there any thing of congruous Merit in them Our Divines that insist on such Preparations for Christ decryed the Conceit of Merit though in the lowest form This Merit of the Papists inferrs a Dueness of the thing so deserved a Dueness in Congruity thô not in Justice And what is due from the Lord any way he will infallibly bestow But there may be these previous Dispositions where Faith is never given There is not so much as a Conditional Connexion between such Preparations and those Blessings they are Promised absolutely without any Condition expressed or implied 2. The subsequent Blessings of the Covenant those that follow the first are in some sense Conditional and so Offered and Promised in a Conditional Form and yet are never the less Gracious There are Terms and Conditions taking the word Conditions in a latitude as comprizing Qualifications Adjuncts and necessary Antecedents which do no way derogate from Grace neither detract from its Freeness nor obscure but rather illustrate it Rom. 10. 8 9 10. Rev. 3. Upon such Terms are Justification Adoption Salvation offered and not Offered but upon Terms and yet most Freely and Graciously Rom. 3. Freely by his Grace and yet through Faith no otherwise but upon such Terms Joh. 3. 18. Upon the same Terms we are Adopted Joh. 1. 12. We are saved by Grace but through Faith Eph. 2. And not only Faith but Holiness of Heart and Life and Perseverance therein are the Terms upon which Salvation is Promised Mat. 5. Heb. 12. 14. Rev. 2. 10. Mark 13. 13. It is all one as if they were expressed Conditionally This is not because the Lord makes a Conditional Bargain with us leaving the Condition to our own Wills being uncertain whether it will be made good or no But the reason is because Divine Wisdom has made a Connexion betwixt these Blessings so that they shall never be separated one of them shall not be had without the other No Justification without Faith no Salvation without Holiness no Glory without Perseverance And has Constituted an Order amongst them so that one of them must go before the other We must Believe before we be Justified and be Holy before we can see God. And has appointed one of them to be the Means or way to obtain the other We are Justiâ—ied by Faith we are Created unto good Works that we should walk in them Acts of Holy Obedience are the way wherein we must walk to Salvation So that here is an Antecedence of some Duty and that necessary by Divine Appointment and Command and this tending to obtain a Favour freely offered And by this we may understand what a Condition is in a sense very innocent and no way injurious to Grace It is an Antecedent necessarily required as the way to attain or arrive at what is Promised And in this Sense it must not be denied that there are Conditions in the Gospel and its Promises unless we will deny that there are Duties necessary to Salvation and made necessary by Divine Command For such a Condition is nothing but something of a Command joyned with a Promise in a conditional Form and Divine Commands must be no more questioned when they are joyned with Promises than when they are delivered apart He Commands all to Repent and he promises Pardon Put this Promise and that Command together and it becomes a Conditional Promise if you Repent you shall have Pardon or as the Apostle delivers it 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we Confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all our Vnrighteousness 3. There are Conditions that are Injurious to Grace and Inconsistent with it None such are annexed to any Promise of the Gospel none such must be admitted by those who will reserve to the Lord the Honour of his Grace or have our Salvation intirely ascribed to it 1. Meritorious Conditions when the Condition is presumed to deserve what is Promised There is no such Condition of Salvation as this but in the proud Fancies of Presumptuous Sinners For 1. There must be a Disproportion between that which is procured and the Condition that deserves it It is of Favour not of Merit if the promised Blessing exceed the worth of the Condition To make this plain suppose the worth of a days Work be twelve Pence a Man Promises another a thousand Crowns for a days Labour it cannot in any reason be imagined that his days Labour deserves so much if he receive so much he has it of Favour not of Merit Now the Disproportion is far greater betwixt Salvation and all that is required of us in order thereto Sufferings for Christ are more considerable on this account than holy Actings but all the Sufferings of this Life such as those of the Apostle and the Primitive Christians bear not the sleightest Proportion to the Glory Promised Rom. 8. 18. there is no Proportion betwixt them the Glory offered does infinitely exceed them it is the Eternal Injoyment of God himself and between that which is finite and infinite there is no Proportion 2 Cor. 4. 17. If Glory were Promised on these Terms as it seems to be 2 Tim. 2. 12. yet Suffering would be far from Deserving the Crown there is no correspondent worth in them to so vast a Crown Merit quite excludes Grace for thaâ— which is deserved is due in Justice it is a just Debt but that which is of Debt is not cannot be of Grace if the Apostle understood these things Rom. 4. 4. He makes a plain Opposition between Grace and Debt And therefore if by the Performance of any Condition we can deserve Salvation it will be of Debt and we must expunge the Text and conclude we are not saved by Grace 2. Natural Conditions such as may be Performed by the Power of Nature without the concurrence of Omnipotent or Special Grace All that is required to Salvation under the notion of Conditions must be of this Nature by that Doctrine which will have nothing necessary for the Performance thereof but Suasive Grace For this gives no Power sufficient for Performance and therefore if there be any Performance it must be by the Power of Nature Their Grace gives not the Power but supposes it